Adjustable license-plate holder



DeC- 9, 1930- F. H. NAGGATZ I ADJUSTABLE LICENSE PLATE HOLDER Filed May 8, 1930 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 FRANK H. ivAeeA'rz or FAIRMOUNT, NORTH DAKOTA ADJUSTABLE LICENSE-PLATE HOLDER Application led May 8,

This invention relates to devices for hold-v ing license plates on automobiles and the particular object of `the invention is to provide a holder ot this character by which a 5 license plate may be readily engaged with an automobile without the necessity of bolting it thereto or'as readily disengaged therefrom and a further object is to provide a holder or' this character which is adjustable so as to hold license plates of different sizes wherein tie slots for the passage of the bolts are ditferently placed. I

A further object is to provide a holder ot this character having a tixed T-.shaped stud at one end and at the other end a rotatable T-shaped 'stud having a lever, the T-shaped studs being adapted to bel insertedthrough the slots of the license plate, one of the studs being then turned outby a spring into a position transverse to the slot of the plate so as to thereby hold the plate from detachment..

Other objects will appear in the course-ot the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings7 wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation ot my license plate holder showing the license plate in A alace' l Figure 2 is a front view of the license plate 30 holder with the license plate removed;

Figure 3 is an elevation ot a rear Yface ot the holding arm 16;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 ot Figure 1.

Referring to this drawing, A designates a license plate of the usual character having the longitudinally extending slots a adjacent its upper edge at its upper ends7 these slot-s being used for the passage of bolts whereby the license plate may be attached to the car. My improved device for holding a license plate on a car consists of a plate 10 of sheet metal which is provided with bolt holes 11 whereby it may be-bolted to the car, and is provided at one end with a slide 12 preferably ormed of sheet metal and having the lateral flanges 13 and the overturned end flanges 14 which embrace the edges of the 1930. .n Serial No. 450,802.'-

plate 10. kThis slide has brazed, Awelded or otherwise permanent-ly attached to ity ,the T- shaped, stud 15 whose head extends transversely to the length of the plate 10.

At the opposite end of the plate 10, there is provided a lever 16 of sheet metal, the lever having a semicircular inner end and tapering toward its outer tree end and being preferably formed of sheet metal having a marginal inturned flange 17. This lever carries upon it the T-shaped stud 18 which is brazed, welded or otherwise attachedto the body of the lever in any suitablemanner, the shank of the stud extending through and slightly beyond the lever and passing through the plate 10 and being overturned upon a washer 19 so that this shank of the stud 18 is pivotally engaged with the lever for oscillation therewith. The head of the lever extends normally transverselyof the length of the plate 10. c

Mounted upon the plate 10 as by brazing, welding or otherwise is a drum or hub 2O through which the stud 18 passes, thisdruin or hub extending up linside of the lever and bearing against the outer tace thereof. Surrounding this drum or hub is a coiled spring 21 which is engaged with the hub against rotation and this spring extends along the lever and its extremity is engaged by a lip Q2 on the lever. The extremity ot the lever is formed with an overturned lug Q3 constituting a hook. The spring normally urges the lever outward against the license plate and resists rotation of the lever in a counter clockwise direction in Figure '3.

In use7 the plate 10 is bolted to the machine in the usual manner by bolts passing through the apertures in the plate. yOne of the slots c in the license plate is then engaged over the head of the stud 15 and then the license plate isturned so that the slot a is angularly dis-v posed with reference to the 1' l' -shaped stud 15. Thelevcr is shifted in a counter-clockwise direction until the stud 18 is parallel to the length of the plate 10. Then the other slot a of the license plate is inserted over this stud 18..'and then released, whereupon the spring Willurge the lever in a clockwise directionuntil the hook 23 ,engages over the ed e ofthe license plate. The license plateY stud 15. Then the license plate may be taken l2 is adjustable upon the extremity of off. It will be seen that this device is very simple, that it may be Vcheaply made, that it holds the license plate firmly in position, but

permits the license plate to be readily changed, j 'j f It is to be particularly noted that the slide the plate so :that this license plate holder will suit different lengths of license plate or plates where the slots are diere'ntly spaced from each other. It will be obvious thatmany mi-l norchan es might be made in the details f, without eparting from the spiritofthe invention as defined in the appended claims. 1cIam:- f Y 1. A license plateV holder including a supporting plate, an outwardly projecting T- shaped stud carried at'one end of the plate and permanently extending `transversely thereto and .an outwardly `projecting T- shaped .stud oscillatably mounted at the other` end lof the plate, and resilient meansv urging the stud in a direction transverse to the length of the plate, but permitting the study to be turned into parallel relation to the plate.

2'. A license plate holder including a sup' porting plate, an outwardly rojecting T- shape studcarried at one end o the plate and permanently extending transversely tothe length` thereof, a lever oscillatably mounted upon the other end of the plate and carryingy an outwardlyprojecting T-shaped stud, and a spring operatively engaging the lever and plate yand urging the lever into a position stud disposed at the axis where its stud is transverse to the length of the late, said spring permitting the leverto be s ifted to a position with its stud parallel to the length of the plate.

3. A license plate holder including a supporting plate having an outwardly project ing T-shaped stud at one end. permanently extending transversely to the' length of the plate, aV lever pivotally mounted at the oppo- Y signature.

4'.V A license plate holder including a supporting plate having means whereby it may be attached to an automobile, one end of the plate carrying an outwardly projecting T- shaped stud having its head extending transverse to the length ofthe plate, a T-shaped stud extending throughthe plate at its opposite end thereof and rotatable in the plate,

a lever ksurrounding the T-shaped stud and to which it isattached, ythe lever being disposed 1'n" angular relation to the head of 'the stud, the lever being formed of sheet metal having anged edges, acircular hub through which the stud passes, the hub being attached to the plate, and a `coiled spring surrounding the hub and attached thereto at one end and extending along'th'e lever at the other end to be engaged therewith, the springfacting to shift the .free end of the lever toward the lower edge of said late, the extremity of the lever being provid3ed with a hookI adapted to engage the'lower edge of a license plate mounted upon said studs. Y

5. A license plate holder including a supporting plate, a slider mounted upon one end j of said plate and carrying a T-shaped stud,

the head of the stud extending transversely of said plate and carrying a`T-shaped stud, rotatablyy mounted upon the other end of the plate and havingrfa lever attached thereto whereby the stud may bev rotated, and a spring urging the free end of the lever toward the adjacent edge of the plate and the stud into a position with its head extending transversely to the length of the plate. Y vIn testimony whereof` I FRANK HfNaGGATZ.

hereunto` affix my site end ofthe plate and having a T-shaped .y

' lever, a springurging the free end of the lever toward the lower edge of the plate, the stud being soi disposed that in this position of the lever its head is transverse to the length y of the, plate, the spring permitting the lever of rotation of the to be turned to carry its free end away from the plate and shift thevstud into aposition whereits head is parallel to the plate. y 

